The challenges like economic barriers which include exorbitant pricing of licensing, legislative regulations are some of the factors which make it difficult to access the cannabis farming which need to be rooted out, so that emerging farmers can access this untapped industry. This was outlined during the Cannabis Workshop which was held in Kumkani Mhlontlo Local Municipality in Qumbu recently.
The workshop was a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering local cannabis farmers to navigate the red tape and unlock the economic potential of this untapped industry. This pioneering workshop sought to capacitate previously discouraged farmers, enabling them to actively participate in a sector that holds immense promise for transforming the economic landscape of Mhlontlo- a region still grappling with poverty, high unemployment rate, and equality.
The project manager for the Cannabis Support Programme for Kumkani Mhlontlo Local Municipality Nwabisa Zamangxongo Mgqweto, agreed that there is a lot of red tape and berries to entry discouraging many farmers, especially the previously disadvantaged. Mgqwetho said that ambiguous information causes unnecessary barriers to entry. “The climatic conditions cause cannabis to be a very high maintenance crop. Misinformation between hemp and indigenous cannabis cause unnecessary tensions amongst the farmers,” she concluded.
